Chatar Jatra or Chatar Yatra is a traditional festival celebrated by the people of

Kalahandi Kalahandi (locally pronounced ''Kalahani'') is a district of Odisha in India. Archaeological evidence of Stone Age and Iron Age human settlement has been recovered from the region. Asurgarh offered an advanced, well civilised, cultured and ur ...

District,

Orissa, India Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of Sc ...

. The festival involves Maa

Manikeswari Manikeswari is one of the popular Hindu deities in Odisha. There are many Manikeswari temples present in Western and Southern part of Odisha. Manikeswari temple in Bhawanipatna of Kalahandi District is well recognized in Odisha. Manikeswari is th ...

, the family goddess of the

King King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the ...

's family.

Origin

Maa Manikeswari is the prominent presiding goddess of

Kalahandi district Kalahandi (locally pronounced ''Kalahani'') is a district of Odisha in India. Archaeological evidence of Stone Age and Iron Age human settlement has been recovered from the region. Asurgarh offered an advanced, well civilised, cultured and ur ...

. The temple of the goddess is situated within the boundary of the ex-rulers of Kalahandi, so that the rulers could observe the auspicious festival Chhatra Jatra, which has been transformed and is now known as Chatar yatra.

Plot

Chhatra Jatra or Chatar Jatra or Chatar Yatra are meant to celebrate the Vijaya utsav with cheerful heart and splendid display. The festival is being celebrated during the Mahastami of Durga puja festival. The ritual practice of

Khonds Khonds (also spelt Kondha, Kandha etc.) are an indigenous Adivasi tribal community in India. Traditionally hunter-gatherers, they are divided into the hill-dwelling Khonds and plain-dwelling Khonds for census purposes; All the Khonds identify ...

(Adivasis of Kalahandi Districts) Nabakalevar (the renewal of post-worship) is also performed during the festival. Maa Manikeswari comes out from the ''Garbhagriha'' on Mahastami mid night to ''Jenakhal'' which is at about 3 km distance from the alma mater. The jatra starts with ''Nagar Paribhramana'' on Mahanavami auspicious morning. A bamboo covered with black cloth represents Maa Manikeswari in the jatra, and at the top on silver plate Dasamahavidya Yantra is installed which represents the Tantric Hinduism. To please Maa Manikeswari, a tribal dance is performed, which is known as

Ghumura dance Ghumura dance is a folk dance of Kalahandi district of the Indian state Odisha. It is classified as folk dance as the dress code of Ghumura resembles more like a tribal dance, but there are arguments about mudra and dance forms of Ghumura bearing ...

. Ghumura is a traditional dance and a heritage of Kalahandi district. It is a dance performed with a traditional instrument Ghumura Veer Badya. The dancers tie the Ghumura (badya/instrument) on their shoulders and hang it tight on their chest.

Celebration

Chatar Jatra is mainly celebrated in the district headquarter of

Bhawanipatna Bhawanipatna is a city and headquarters of the Kalahandi district, in the Indian state of Odisha. Bhawanipatna has numerous temples dedicated to different deities of the Hindu pantheon. It is named after the presiding deity, Bhawani-Shankar and ...

though

Thuamul Rampur Thuamul Rampur is a town in Thuamul Rampur Block, Kalahandi District of Odisha State. The town is 72 km from the district capital Bhawanipatna and 500 km from the state capital Bhubaneswar. It is also referred as the Kashmir of Kalahandi ...

, Jugasaipatna and

, all three places are famous for Maa

temple. Animal sacrifice prevalent in this festival. Though government has strictly banned these kind of activities, still devotees don't follow the rule. About 50,000 animal sacrifies take place in this festival.

Gallery

File:Maa Manikeswari Chatar Jatra, Bhawanipatna.jpg File:CHATAR.jpg, Crowd during Chhatar Jatra File:ChhatarJatra.JPG, Rituals during Chhatar Jatra

References

{{reflist Hindu festivals Religious festivals in India Durga Puja